AC freezing up when temps drop outside

[Guest]

I've posted this a few times through the years,pretty hopeless situation I think but what the hey.I really dont know how you guys up north use window air conditioners,I dont see how it could possibly work.Anyway,the last two mornings were uncharacteristically cool and when this happens,my window AC will freeze up resulting in high temps.My remedies through the years has been this.If lightly iced turn up AC to highest setting and hope for the best,sometimes this would melt the ice and the AC would return to normal.Option two if the ice is thicker is to enter with a blowdryer,this is a problem.Not the blowdrying part,the ENTERING lol,the AC's on the opposite wall through thick jungle canopy lol.Option three and the one I use normally is to kill the lights and AC for a skosh,this is simplist and can be done by remote control from the door.I'm at a point of acceptance,with the improbably possibility someone has a trick up their sleeve.How the hell do you people up north contend with this?

 

[Guest]

I would ck to make sure the condensating coils are not dirty this can cause an AC to freeze. You also can invest in a Heat Tape . This is used mainly to keep pipes from freezing but may suit your needs also. Good luck

 

[Guest]

This unit is only months old actually,but on my previous unit I cleaned the coils and pipes with spray cleaner but it had zero affect on the problem.This tape sounds promising,providing the guilty pipes/coils are accessible.I no nothing about how Ac's work really except they wont do shit until I provide a circuit lol.

 

[mrwags]

Your condenser is freezing up and the r12 (new freon) is not able to do its job. When it happens again take the cover off and you will see a circular canister usually black or silver in color and look for the line where something might come out and you will see the freeze point. The above advice is spot on just wanted you to know where to look.


Mr.Wags

 

[SomeGuy]

I would take it and have the freon checked. Most of the times when we have central AC units freeze up its because the coolant is low.

 

[Stealthy]

Low Freon will cause this problem.

 

[Guest]

Its new,and bringing canopy temps down to low 70s now with 3 1K verts in an 8 by 8,its definately not a low freon issue brrrrr.The tape sounds like the thang,except I'm still unclear on what to tape.The black or silver canister?All the piping?Its not accessible in the cage..what a fuckin job that just flashed in my noggin..I'd have to wait for a basically empty room,pull the AC out of the cage from the inside.Damn had I known this just a few months ago I could have taped her before installation.De-installation's gonna be a bitch.EDIT O yea its spring!!!!!Dont have to worry until next fall/winter yippy!

 

[Guest]

The condensing coil cover should come off pretty easy. you may not even have to take it out of the window. I would wrap whatever is freezing . It may be the compressor or the coil. The coil will look something like a car radiator.

If you could get some of the heated room air moving across that coil you could stop the freezing and cut down on energy cost of cooling room.

 

[Guest]

Its the coil,it freezes first,then if I dont catch it a thick square of ice will buildup on the grill.Shit I just looked at it outside through the cage,seems all the coils and junk are up front.Thats cool,OK SB its the coil that gets a sheet of ice over it,I thought the little piping was the coil lol.How do I wrap that in tape?Its kinda flat and rough lol.I know the little piping thats visable will freeze up first,then the coil freezes.If I wrap the copper tubing perhaps the coil wont freeze up?Anyone know exactly what this insulator tape is called?

 

[Avenger]

try partially or totally blocking/restricting the air flow across the condenser coil(outside coil) when the outdoor ambient temps get low.

you won't want to restrict the air flow when the outdoor temps get warm, so don't leave it for an extended period of time.

adding heat tape to it is silly.

Refrigeration systems made to operate in low ambient conditions have controls on them that cycles the condenser fan on and off and/or by bypassing the condenser coil with the addition of a valve in the refrigerant circuit when the system pressures get too low becasue of the low outdoor temps.


toke it easy

 

[Guest]

try partially or totally blocking/restricting the air flow across the condenser coil(outside coil) when the outdoor ambient temps get low.


adding heat tape to it is silly.



toke it easy

Blocking the air over the coils may get you the results you want in the winter.

You could try it first before you get the Tape.

Many highend units have this tape allready built in. It will be around the compressor.

 

[Avenger]

Many highend units have this tape allready built in. It will be around the compressor.

while the compressor may be insulated, and have cranckcase heaters neither is going to help you operate in low ambient conditions.

please show me otherwise.

 

[Guest]

OK you guys know what you're talking about but Avenger how do I block/restrict airflow across the condenser coil,(which I understand to be the "radiator"),an approx 18 inch by 12 inch rectangle,which the filter covers?Actually my friends,this is for months and months down the road because I dont expect another under 60 degree morning again and if I do I'll stoner rig it lol,summer is about to spring down here.This was an interesting one though,more fruitful than any other

 

[Avenger]

Avenger how do I block/restrict airflow across the condenser coil,(which I understand to be the "radiator"),an approx 18 inch by 12 inch rectangle,which the filter covers?

Nope, that is called the evaporator coil, which is the inside coil, which is were the ice forms.

The condenser coil is the coil that sticks out the window, the outside coil.

Block the inlet or the outlet of the air flow across this coil with anything handy.


http://home.howstuffworks.com/ac.htm

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...low+ambient+control+refrigeration&btnG=Search

 

[2buds]

Good luck

 

[Guest]

Have you guys never had a beer for 3 years plus then decided to knock down four for the calorie benefit?Another words what the fuck was that you said?I'm gone in more ways than one,but tryin to figgure that one out is too much.You guys sound like me tryin to explain growin,pity the poor folk..Seriously thanks real funny evening.

 

[hidingtree]

ok bob lemme try to explain you ready ?

 

[hidingtree]

ok heck here goes , if you refer to the diagram on the first page you can orient yourself with what is what . sound like people on the first page are a bit confused ... or they're tryin to confuse you or i really smoke some goo shit after not for like 5 days . now , what you basically have to do is make a shutter or damper for the outside of the case ... the part ouside the house also known as the condenser coil .when you restict the airflow over this coil which is essentially what you are doing when you cover it then you are forcing the temps and there fore the pressure of the refrigerant within the condenser coil to rise . this will cause the temps and pressures in the evaporator coil to rise also . but, this should still have a cooling effect without icing the coil . however prolonged running of a household unit like this will cause premature failure .so if you did restrict the flow over the condensor say for an interval of time (1hr per cycle ) might be okay or blocking it say 3/4th's of the way ..... i better smoke some more a this ........ many blessings, hidingtree